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What the Bible says about Passover , Symbols of
(From Forerunner Commentary)

Exodus 12:8

In the annual contemplation of the Passover and Exodus stories, the question occasionally arises of whether or not the Christian Passover must be observed according to the original instructions in Exodus 12—specifically, with a lamb, bitter herbs, etc. Jews typically partake of a Seder meal. Seder is the Hebrew word meaning "order," describing the punctilious and exacting procedures that are followed in this Jewish ritual. Is all this still required for Christians?

The institution of Passover certainly is eternal (Exodus 12:14), but that is not to say that all the symbols and details have remained unchanged. For example, the original command involved putting lambs' blood on the doorpost (Exodus 12:7, 12-13). We recognize the significance of that act, animal sacrifices are not part of the New Covenant, and God does not send the Death Angel every year. That part of the institution has played its role and does not contain a literal application for us.

Rather than lambs' blood, we partake of wine to symbolize the blood of Christ (I Corinthians 11:25), which is infinitely superior to the blood of sheep and goats (Hebrews 9:12-14). His blood does not just save us from the Death Angel, as it were, but it actually allows for the forgiveness of sin. The blood on the doorpost indicated those who were marked out for protection, pointing forward to the supreme sacrifice of the Messiah, but it could in no way forgive sin.

Similarly, the original institution called for the Passover to be eaten with a belt on the waist, sandals on the feet, and staff in hand (Exodus 12:11). God had the Israelites do this so they would understand that they would soon be traveling and needed to be prepared. As Christians, we recognize the implication that we are likewise "pilgrims" (see I Peter 2:11-12), and should always be ready to follow God. However, this detail in Exodus 12 should not be regarded as a mandatory dress code for observing the Passover.

A third example: The original institution held that the Passover lamb had to be set aside on the tenth day of the month and observed until the fourteenth day (roughly three-and-a-half days later) when it was killed. The gospel accounts of the Passover, though, show the preparations being made more or less on the day before (see Mark 14:12; Luke 22:7-8). It does not show Christ and the disciples picking out a lamb days before. Yet, interestingly, at the beginning of Christ's ministry, He was identified as "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). He was "observed" for three-and-a-half years, and seen to be without blemish by an untold number of people.

As far as the bitter herbs are concerned, it is interesting that "herbs" is actually not in the original Hebrew, but only implied. Exodus 12:8 literally says, ". . . and with bitter they shall eat it." In the Bible, bitterness is symbolic of sin. It is a sin itself (Deuteronomy 29:18; Acts 8:23; Ephesians 4:31), as well as a sign of mourning or lament as a result of other sins (Proverbs 17:25; Lamentations 1:4; Ezekiel 21:6; 27:31). The ancient Israelites had no way of having their sins removed. Offerings were prescribed to be given when sin occurred, but the book of Hebrews makes it plain that the blood of bulls and goats cannot actually take away sin (Hebrews 10:4). The life of an animal is not worth anything near the life of a man—and sin causes the life of man to be forfeit (Romans 6:23). Their sins could not be forgiven under the Old Covenant.

In the New Testament examples and instructions regarding Passover (John 13:1-30; Matthew 26:26-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:7-23; I Corinthians 11:17-34), the emphasis is on Christ Himself—His example and His sacrifice—rather than on the bitterness of our sins. Certainly, we should remember that it was because of our sins that Christ had to die, but our sins are not something to be memorialized! Our "bitterness" has been taken away if we have accepted Christ's blood. His sacrifice is what we remember each year.

The symbols change from a lamb, something bitter, and unleavened bread in the Old Testament, to unleavened bread (still representing a sinless life), wine, and footwashing in the New. The requirement of a lamb has been fulfilled because Christ became the Passover lamb for us. Our Savior took our sins (bitterness) on Himself, so when we memorialize His death, it is not with bitterness, but with solemnity and joy because we have been redeemed. This makes possible the wonderful opportunity to enter into a rare relationship with God the Father and His Son.

David C. Grabbe
Without Bitterness

Exodus 12:12-14

Why should a Christian keep the Passover? We should keep the Passover because God commands us to. This, of itself, is good enough reason, but there is much more!

God has us keep the Passover because it forces us to consider the deaths of the firstborn Egyptians and how that miraculous and terrible event led to the freeing of Israelites from Pharaoh and from Egypt. It should lead us to think deeply about what these events symbolize.

Yet, is not Passover just an Old Testament, Jewish ritual? No! God's commands are never merely empty rituals. His commands always contain rich and meaningful purposes, including spiritual, New Testament applications that we can learn from today.

Keeping the Passover also forces us to think about the death of God's firstborn Son and how that momentous event will lead to the eventual freeing of all mankind from Satan and from sin:

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. (I Corinthians 11:23-26)

Notice that this reminder to keep the Passover was recorded by the apostle Paul some years after the close of the Old Testament era. It is most decidedly a Christian observance.

He adds that our preparation for Passover should cause us to take a close look at ourselves in solemn self-examination, to see how far we have grown and how much we still need to overcome: "But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup" (verse 28). In the days preceding the Passover each year, we think about the past year and how imperfect we still are, and we ask God to continue to cover our sins and imperfections with the blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Each of God's people makes a practice of looking back at the years that have flown by since his baptism, considering how far we have left our lives of sin behind. Self-examination shows us areas in which we still need to overcome and should motivate us to rededicate ourselves to the covenant we have made with God.

Staff
What Is the Passover Anyway?

Jeremiah 7:22-23

Jeremiah says that God never commanded offerings and sacrifices when the Old Covenant was made! He is talking about the generation to whom God gave His law and with whom He made the Old Covenant. It is easily understood why no other sacrifices are given in the Old Covenant except for the Passover (see Exodus 23:18). God does not mention them because He did not require them under the terms of the Old Covenant. All He wanted Israel to do was to keep the Ten Commandments, the statutes, and the judgments that He had already given to them with one exception—the Passover, the only sacrifice that He required!

This is one reason why the New Covenant did not perpetuate the other sacrifices, even though the Old Covenant became obsolete: The sacrifices were never a part of it in the first place. In terms of Passover, the symbols changed to bread and wine, but we still keep it.

There are three reasons why true Christians keep Passover even though it is also part of the Old Covenant. First, like the Ten Commandments, they preceded the making of the Old Covenant. Passover was commanded in Exodus 12, enforced, and practiced before Israel ever got to Mt. Sinai. Second, it is commanded in the New Testament and shown by the example of Christ and the apostles. Third, Passover is included within the statutes of God as a corollary of the fourth commandment. It is a festival and therefore to be kept.

John W. Ritenbaugh
The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Seventeen)

Matthew 26:26-29

Jesus told His disciples to partake of unleavened bread and wine during the New Testament Passover service. Through this command, He charged His followers to observe it as a memorial of His death for all time. Since Christ's death completely fulfilled the symbolism of killing a lamb, we no longer need to slaughter a lamb in keeping the Passover.

Earl L. Henn
Holy Days: Passover

John 6:53-58

These people knew well that Leviticus 17:10-11 forbids the eating of blood. They should have understood that He was not speaking of literally drinking the blood coursing through His body. If they knew Him from His youth, as they had earlier claimed, they should have known He was the most law-abiding person they had ever witnessed. What Jesus means is: "He who accepts, appropriates and assimilates, and understands My sacrifice as the only ground of his salvation remains in Me and I in Him." This is why He adds, "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood dwells in Me and I in Him." He is the living Word.

As physical food and drink are offered, accepted, and eaten, so also must Christ's sacrifice be offered, accepted, and eaten. As the stomach assimilates the physical, so His sacrifice is spiritually assimilated in the heart of believers. As food nourishes and sustains the physical body's life, so Christ's sacrifice nourishes and sustains spiritual life.

John W. Ritenbaugh
Eating: How Good It Is! (Part Four)

John 13:1-5

During the evening of Nisan 14, Jesus and His disciples ate the Passover, commonly known as the "Last Supper." After the meal was served, Jesus rolled up His sleeves, as it were, tied a towel around His waist and washed His disciples' feet. Later in the evening, after He predicted that one of the disciples would betray Him (verses 21-26), Jesus introduced the symbols of bread and wine as part of the Passover service (Mark 14:18-24). Following this example, the church places the footwashing ritual first in the annual service.

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Footwashing

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

The apostle Paul carefully taught the Gentile Corinthians to keep the Passover using the symbols of bread and wine that Jesus had instituted. These scriptures teach us to keep the Passover "till He comes," and the true church of God will still be observing the Passover as He commanded. All those who have accepted His redemption eagerly anticipate His return to share the eternal life He makes possible by His sacrifice!

Earl L. Henn
Holy Days: Passover

1 Corinthians 11:24-25

Concerning the bread and wine, Christ instructs us, "Do this in remembrance of Me". This command could also be translated, "Do this for the remembering of me," or "Do this in case you forget." God does not want us to let His Son's sacrifice get very far from our minds. He does not want us to get maudlin over it, but to remember that it represents the measure of His love and our worth to Him. Remembering helps us retain a right sense of obligation. He does not wish that our obligation become a burden, but fill us with a wonder, an awe, that He would pay so much for something so utterly defiled.

John W. Ritenbaugh
Passover, Obligation, and Love

Revelation 10:9

"Take and eat it" sounds very much like what Jesus said to His disciples when He told them to eat the unleavened bread during the Passover service. Eating the bread symbolizes partaking of His flesh, that is, devoting ourselves to the life He lives, becoming one with Him as part of His Body, living as He lives. Eating the little book has a similar meaning.

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
The Two Witnesses (Part One)


 




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